


Moon's Lullaby

by Crystalmoon101



Category: Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon), Tangled (2010)
Genre: Adventures of Moon Boi and tired Moon Guardian, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Basically the Moonstone & Sundrop are alive, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Found Family, Friendship, Hurt Varian (Disney), Hurt/Comfort, Moon Powers Varian (Disney), Moon!Varian, Moondrop | Moonstone Opal (Disney), Sentient Stone AU, Sun Powers Rapunzel (Disney), Sundrop | Sundrop Flower (Disney), Varian get therapy from the Moonstone, and perhaps the Moonstone will learn to not be so grumpy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-14
Updated: 2020-10-14
Packaged: 2021-03-09 01:07:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,028
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27006313
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Crystalmoon101/pseuds/Crystalmoon101
Summary: The guards had failed to capture Varian after the fight in Old Corona, resulting in him going to the Dark Kingdom too, being the one who snatches Moonstone from Rapunzel and running off with it.Now armed with the powerful celestial of death and destruction, Varian starts making his way back home in hopes to finally free his father. However, he comes to realise it won’t be as simple as he previously thought, as he is struggling to control his new abilities. But to make matters more complicated, Varian has come to learn that the Moonstone is alive and now connected to Varian.Will the alchemist and celestial stone learn to get along and work together, or will their different wants and desires get in the way?
Relationships: Cassandra & Varian (Disney: Tangled), Eugene Fitzherbert | Flynn Rider & Varian, Eugene Fitzherbert | Flynn Rider/Rapunzel, Lance Strongbow & Varian, Moonstone/Sundrop (Disney: Tangled), Rapunzel & Sundrop (Disney: Tangled), Rapunzel & Varian (Disney), Varian & Moonstone (Disney: Tangled)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 48





	Moon's Lullaby

**Author's Note:**

> **This is basically a Moon!Varian fic, but with a twist. I’m adding in my Sentient Stone AU, which, if you don’t know, it’s basically my version of the Sundrop and Moonstone being living creatures. I have more information on them on my tumblr, but I will add their designs at the bottom of the fanfic, along with my Moon!Varian look.**
> 
> **This will mostly be a few oneshots of them doing things together, before I might add in some plot.**
> 
> **\-----------------------------------------------------------------  
>  Characters:  
> Varian  
> Moonstone  
> Ruddiger**
> 
> **Rapunzel (Mostly background)  
>  \-----------------------------------------------------------------  
> Warning: Nothing really! Just a few mentions of imprisonment and self hatred here and there.  
> Disclaimer: I don’t own Tangled The Series!  
> \-----------------------------------------------------------------**

Magic was something that Varian wasn’t particularly fond of beforehand, partly not believing such a thing existed. Now, however, he knew very well that it was real, and yet hated it even more now. His plan had almost been perfect, staying at least twenty steps ahead of everyone in Corona, whether it would be Rapunzel and her friends, or the King himself, Varian found a way to play them all. Finally, he had gotten Rapunzel to come help his dad, to try and use her powers on the amber trapping Quirin. Varian, for a few seconds, truly thought he had won.

But he hadn’t, for the Princess’s magical locks of golden hair hadn’t worked. Quirin was still trapped, the amber left with no damage, not even a mere scratch. Varian had failed his father once again, and so he fell into his last back up plan, lost in his rage as he controlled his automaton suit, taking out everything on Rapunzel and her friends and family. After all, what else could he do besides stand down and let the King torment him further? 

The fight in Old Corona had served as a point as to why he hated magic. It was often unpredictable, with very few studies that made sense, unlike science, which was a lot easier for him to understand. With everything he read, he had been so sure that Rapunzel was the key, that her sun-blessed powers were supposed to solve his problem, given everything seemed to point at that. But no, something didn’t work in the end, a factor that Varian couldn’t understand why.

But then the second reason why he hated magic happened, right when Rapunzel finally touched the black rocks. The very things he had spent months studying, trying to find a way to stop them, suddenly bowed down to the Princess and helped stop Varian in his raging attack. To his horror and shock, he watched how they effortlessly broke down his army of automatons, striking them and shredding the metal plates they were made out of, their green lights flickering off as they shut down one by one. In a final attempt, he tried to stop Rapunzel, aiming to strike at her, but his mobile weapon was torn apart, its mechanical limbs snatched off by the rocks jolting out of the ground.

He knew he had lost, and so gave out an anguished cry. Through the red-tinted window in front of him, he watched how Rapunzel gazed in his direction sadly, before her attention was caught by the black rocks moving, not by her command it seems. Trying to compose himself, Varian followed this sight too, craning his neck as his eyes widened, seeing the magical force break down the nearby walls of Corona, the morning sun gleaming over everyone.

Finally, the rocks seemed to have settled, laying out a clear path as many of them laid flat on the ground. Rapunzel and everyone else stared silently, waiting a moment to see what would happen next. But nothing did happen, and one by one they realised what the rocks were doing. They made a trail, a line to follow, most certainly a sign that they wanted Rapunzel to go somewhere, for them to guide her to an unknown destination. 

Varian knew this too, sulking away in his machine, hugging his knees on the leather chair he was on. The sight made a new sense of anger rise in him, bitterness as he shook his head, doing his best not to cry in despair. He had been right, Rapunzel was the key, just not in the way he wanted. This entire time, the rocks were running around destroying everything, and it all could have been stopped if Rapunzel simple brushed a hand on them. Varian, his father and his people had suffered, all because the precious Princess and her father were too scared to face the consequences of dealing with magic they should have never messed with originally. 

Pulling his gaze to look outside, Varian felt his eyes water in seething anger, seeing everyone run up to Rapunzel, congratulating her on winning, or checking to see if she was ok. Her parents were proudly gazing at her, Eugene by her side with a loving gaze, and Cass was placing her hands on her hips, a proud smirk on her lips. Of course, she was the hero to them all, while he was the villain that deserved nothing in their eyes. 

It wasn’t fair. He had been the one to study the black rocks, he had been the one to try and tell everyone the truth, he had been the one to steal the flower when he thought it was the solution, he had been the one to beg for help. Meanwhile, Rapunzel spent her days trying to pretend everything was alright, while her father continued to hide his skeletons in the closest. Why did they get all the praise, when he was left alone to rot?

But as he barely held himself together inside his automaton, he tensed up when hearing the people hovering outside of it, some of them knocking against the metal, causing an echoing clang to ring inside of it. Varian snapped his head up, quickly wiping his eyes, trying to make out the voices. They were heavily muffled, but it sounded like they were preparing to catch him, ready to cuff him up and send him off to the dungeons. 

His eyes widened, looking out through his window. Rapunzel, her friends and parents were off to the side, waiting to watch what will happen, mixed expressions on all of them. Varian then shifted his gaze to his house, which was barely holding itself together, thanks to the massive hole he left behind in it. He thought about his father, knowing very well that Quirin still wasn’t free. If Varian gets caught, then he might not ever be able to help his dad.

No, he couldn’t let them win, couldn’t give up, couldn’t be caught. Quirin needed him, and Varian appeared to be the only one who cared. After all, Rapunzel never spared a moment to check up on them, while the King never seemed to care about what happened to his old friend. Like always, it was up to Varian to fix things, even if he had to keep doing it alone.

Taking a shaky breath, he gazed over to the open hole in the wall, staring at the path made by the black rocks. A small and desperate plan started forming in his head, reaching into his pockets to look for any vials or alchemy beads he might have. If he timed this right, then that broken wall might be his only chance of escape. His hand grabbed a couple of beads, pulling them out to examine them. He pursed his lips, thinking it over, before looking behind himself, staring at the hatch that led into the automaton. 

He waited quietly, holding his breath as he listened to every sound he heard. Then, he saw the hatch shift a little, people on the outside hovering around it, someone trying to twist it open. Biting his lip, Varian shuffled out of his seat, getting into a stance, ready to run for it. He knew if he slipped up, then it was all over for him. 

Then the hatch cracked open, strands of light peeking through, before the entire thing was thrown open. Before anyone got the chance to look inside, Varian tossed the beads out the exit, hearing them hit the ground, before bursting into massive clouds of purple gas, and Varian flicked his goggles into place. 

“Watch out!” Some called out, probably a guard.

It was harmless, but very thick, hard to see through as everyone began to cough loudly, many waving their hands or covering their mouths. People tried calling out to each other, giving warnings or asking if they were alright. Varian even thinks he heard Rapunzel trying to rush over, but might have been stopped by Eugene or Cass. Without wasting another second, Varian leapt out, getting mild ground shock as he hit the ground. Right away, he used the side of his arm to cover his mouth. With his eyes protected, along with not coughing heavily like everyone else, it didn’t take him long to sprint out of the thick purple cloud he created, already making a break towards the open wall.

Adrenaline was pushing him, blood pumping in his ears as he kept running, not daring to stop. While he wasn’t that physically fit, he was a surprisingly good runner. But as he was racing off, he noted certain things in the corner of his eyes. He saw Rapunzel and her group notice him, their eyes going wide with shock. Some of them glanced ahead of him, realising what he was doing, which resulted in Cass, Lance and Eugene trying to chase after him. Varian thinks he might have heard them call out to him, but his ears were ringing, and a part of him didn’t even care to listen. He couldn’t trust them.

However, he knew he needed a way to slow them down. He might be a good runner, but there was no way he could outspeed someone like Eugene or Cass. Frantically, he looked through his pockets and apron, yanking out a couple of vials of acid. One by one, he would uncork them, and dump them out and leave either a large puddle, or a long splashed line, causing some of them to stop or jump around, trying to mind the acid pools. 

As he reached the damaged walls, he heard more people coming after him, and he suspected that the purple gas cloud finally dissipated. “Get him!” Varian heard someone yelled out, most certainly pointing at him. 

Varian risked it, stopping for a brief second to spare a glance behind him. He saw groups of people trying to reach him, many either scared of him, angry with him, or sorry for him. But they didn’t matter to him, not any more. None of these people were his friends, just people he thought he could once trust. 

Though as he took that momentary pause, he felt something crawl up his back. Varian didn’t panic, however, darting his eyes to his shoulder to see it was simply Ruddiger. Even after everything, his loyal critter didn’t want to leave his side, didn’t want to leave his boy alone, despite what Varian has done. Though, Ruddiger did give a pleading look, as if asking for Varian to stand down, but the alchemist couldn’t agree.

“Varian, wait!” A softer voice shouted out, catching his attention.

Varian snapped his eyes back to the hoard of people coming towards him, now seeing that Rapunzel has joined in. Her bright green eyes were large, the sunlight making them shine as she gave a begging look. She didn’t have to say it, but she too wanted him to stand down, to stop what he was doing. 

But Varian frowned at her, eyes narrowed with hatred. After everything, she expected him to give up? To be caught and have no hope in helping his own father? No, he would never agree to such a thing, not after what she, her friends and her father did to him. If they didn’t want to help him, then he had to find it elsewhere. 

Without saying anything, Varian twisted around, his boots shuffling across the dry earth, almost slipping across one of the smooth flat black rocks. He only had a second to take in the sight of the world beyond these walls, the land he has never been too, before beginning to sprint again. As he ran with all that he had, he kept telling himself that this was for the better, that he had to do something, that Quirin needed him. Varian had to fix his mistake...

————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Varian hadn’t been exactly sure what to expect when he decided to follow the black rocks. For one thing, he didn’t think the journey would be so long, almost an entire year at that. Thankfully, it wasn’t mostly by foot, or else he might not have survived such a trip. His baby face seemed to come in handy when asking for rides, many thinking he was a poor orphan looking for a new home or job. If that didn’t work, then he would offer his skills to help earn him a ride, or often something else like food, water and money. 

The start of it hadn’t been easy, often finding himself out in the woods, shivering himself to sleep on an empty stomach, but he did his best to adapt, slowly finding himself fitting into the role of a wandering alchemist, on a deep quest to save his father, along with trying to piece together the story behind the black rocks. He stuck by them as close as he could, slightly unnerved at how still they had gotten, no longer on a rampage since connecting with Rapunzel. 

Speaking of the Princess, he had suspected she was going to follow the rocks too. And Varian had been correct, bumping into her and her friends at randomly, mostly when something chaotic was happening. But Varian did he best to stay distant, ignoring them all whenever they tried reaching out or stopping him, thankfully he always found a way to run off before someone caught him. He would often repeat to himself that he didn’t need them, that they didn’t care, that he was fine with it being just him and Ruddiger. 

That being said, he had picked up on what might be going on, either by hearing Rapunzel and her group saying something if he was close enough, or finding the information through other means, like the room full of scrolls and words back in that strange giant tree. It made him wish that he had kept that piece of scroll his father owned, but he had had no time to grab anything before running off, now learning that Rapunzel had taken it, collecting the other pieces along the way. Though to his slight pity amusement, it had also come to his knowledge that they didn’t know how to read it. Maybe now they were regretting turning their backs on him. 

But he had noted that something was off about Rapunzel from time to time. It was strange, sometimes catching her talking to herself, staring at nothing as she spoke with something he couldn’t see, like an invisible figure. He couldn’t pick up much on the conversations, but it often sounded like she was either asking for advice, or whoever she was talking to seemed mildly disappointed with her. Honestly, Varian didn’t want to delve much into that, choosing not to focus on the idea that maybe the Princess went crazy or something.

Varian was surprised though, seeing as how he was somehow keeping a steady pace with them, despite the fact they had two horses and a caravan. Though, from what he understood, they would often stop to check out places, help locals or get caught up in drama. Meanwhile, Varian did his best to stay focus, his mind set on saving his father. 

But during the trip, there was another player that Varian had never seen before. It was a warrior woman, who was almost as tall as his father. She was broad, clearly well trained for fighting, Varian once even seeing her throw down with Cass and other people who also knew how to fight. She had long white hair, braided with golden bands. Half her face was painted red, making her more intimidating than she already was. To top it all off, she was carrying a sword made out of the black rocks, the very indestructible material that almost destroyed all of Corona. 

Varian had seen her with Rapunzel’s group a couple of times, before one day, when Varian awoke at his campsite, found her sitting there, wanting to talk to him. Varian will neither admit nor deny whether he screamed, but he did freeze up, knowing he was no match for her. With little options left, he let her speak. He learnt that her name was Adira, and she had apparently known his father, though she seemed to falter a little when Varian said Quirin never mentioned her. He did try and ask her questions about this, along with who she was, what was going on and what she wanted, but she didn’t answer much, being very vague, eventually shifting the questions onto him.

But Varian was being vague too, mostly because he didn’t know what exactly he was doing, beyond following the rocks and piecing together what was happening. Adira seemed to accept this, but did try and urge him from time to time to go home, to walk away from this all. But he disagreed, stating his reasons, saying this was all for his father. Adira didn’t say much about that, her expressions hard to read. Then she suddenly stood up, wished him well, calling him nephew before vanishing off into the woods, saying she had business to deal with. 

But that hadn’t been the last they saw each other, as she made it a habit to check up on him, giving him advice, and sometimes leaving him a gift, mostly food or small equipment, once a proper tent. Varian didn’t understand her, but every time he tried talking to Adira, wanting more answers, she refused to say anything, or was pretty vague about. A part of Varian was tempted to try and follow her, maybe join her as she too was following the rocks, but he didn’t know enough about her to trust her. Plus, he had seen she was helping Rapunzel, and a part of him feared Adira will turn him over to the Princess and her friends, and that was a risk he wasn’t going to take.

And so, as the year drifted by, Varian slowly made his way to his destination, a place called the Dark Kingdom. The closer he got to it, the more certain pieces started clicking together. By now he knew his dad was tied to this place, having spotted the symbol that Quirin had on his hand around the area. The ruined Kingdom was merely a great big cluster of black rocks, swarming around the place, leaving rubble, crumbled walls and roofs, and shattered statues to lay rotting over the years. The atmosphere was cold, a shiver often running up Varian’s spine the further he went in, feeling like there were freezing claws digging into him. It didn’t take him very long to not like this place.

Of course, just as he made it, Rapunzel did too, Varian having seen her and her friends running around, trying to find a way in. Varian did his best to stay in the shadows, looking for his own entrance into the castle. He could hear their voices from time to time, echoing loud enough for him to hear. They were talking about something called the Moonstone, and Varian quickly realised that might be what he was after. If the Moonstone was creating the black rocks, then maybe it had a way of saying his father.

There was a lot of trails and errors for him, doing his best to dodge the Princess and her friend, almost getting caught up in the giant ghost fight, even picking up on the fact that the newcomer was not only the King of this place, but also Eugene’s father. With all that was going on, no one, not even Adira or Edmund, had noticed Varian sneaking in the nearby shadows. 

Then things settled, and everyone’s attention turned to the room with the Moonstone. Varian had to admit, even he was amazed at the beauty he saw, the blue stone glowing softly, its magic commanding the black rocks with ease, forming a new bridge for Rapunzel to walk across. Her hair was flowing around, flaring with golden light as her own magic reacted to the Moonstone. Varian paused when watching, tilting his head as he wondered what to do.

But then a horrifying thought click in him. He had heard the small conversations, the ones mentioning how the Sundrop and Moonstone were supposed to reunite, becoming one. However, people didn’t actually seem to know what might happen afterwards, some theories saying that someone could use the united stones as a tool, and some others saying that the stones will return to the heavens. If it were the latter case, then Varian might not ever be able to free his father, lost without the one thing that might be able to save Quirin. 

No, he couldn’t let that happen, not after he’s come all the way out here to find anything to save his father. And even if the stones didn’t leave, Rapunzel, or one of her friends, might take the untied stone, and he didn’t trust them, having no faith that they would help his dad in the end. 

So, acting on instinct, Varian went through with the first idea that came to mind. He placed Ruddiger on the ground, who squeaked in shock when seeing Varian dash out of the shadows. Everyone, except Rapunzel, was surprised too, their eyes wide as they saw the young boy sprint past them, failing to stop him in the moment. Varian heard each of them call out to him when the initial shock vanished, Adira and Edmund looking they were about to tackle him. 

But they were too late, as just before Rapunzel fingers could even brush against the Moonstone, Varian shot his hand forward, clasping onto it with a tight fist. Rapunzel’s eyes widened as she stumbled back, her glowing hair fading, dropping to the floor and hanging off the bridge. The black rocks around them flickered, Varian already feeling the power in his hand shaking with raw energy. 

“Varian!” Rapunzel gasped out, shaking her head in disbelief as she looked him up and down. “What are you doing?” She blurted out, a pleading tone to her voice.

Varian was heavily breathing, taking a second to process what he had done. He looks between Rapunzel and his hand holding the Moonstone, his eyes briefly gazing at her long blonde hair. But after a moment, his face darkened, scowling with a thick glare as he stared her in the eyes, showing every bit of hatred, anger, sadness and betrayal he had been feeling this past year and a half. 

The hand holding the powerful stone was shaking more, but not because of himself, but because of the strong magic starting to seep into him. He could feel its cold touch, digging into his veins, bonding to his body and soul, his mind starting to become thick and heavy. 

With unflinching eyes, Varian’s baby blues were starting to shine with magic. “You don’t deserve this…”

————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

The moments after bonding with the stone became a quick blur. For a few seconds, Varian had felt a spark of pain running up him, the Moonstone’s magic latching onto him as he became its new host. His ears and head were ringing violently, not hearing himself scream out as powerful waves of magic made the air around him twirl around sharply. His eyes were shut tight, his body tense as he felt himself hover in the air, clutching the stone against his chest as he had no way of backing out what was happening. 

Then, it suddenly stopped, and Varian landed on his feet, feeling strange. He had only a short span of time to adjust to his new change, along with seeing what happened to him. His previous outfit had been switched to armour, made out of the black rocks, with glowing blue highlights and markings, the Moonstone secured on the centre of his chest. Varian had briefly looked at his reflection on a nearby black rock, staring in shock to see his normally black hair, now a luminsioust blue, the tips of it waving around softly. His once gentle eyes, now sharp and intense.

He had wanted some more time to process what happened to him, but he had snapped back to reality when hearing a warrior cry from Adira. Every next happened so quickly, many of Rapunzel’s friends trying to stop Varian, like Adira swinging her blade, Cass trying to trip him, Eugene rushing him, Edmund yelling at him or Lance trying to tackle him. But Varian, with his newfound powers, managed to get past all of them with ease, the black rocks reacting to his instincts to protect him. It was odd, the magic he was using, as it didn’t feel like he was using a tool, but rather an extension of himself.

But as he made a break out of the castle, scooping up Ruddiger along the way, the others had failed to stop him, though Rapunzel had gotten close. She had chased him into one of the halls, pleading with him, begging him to stop and listen, claiming she wanted to fix things. Deep down, Varian had almost agreed with her, as while he was mad, he was extremely scared with what was happening to him. But she messed up in her wording, setting him off as he pushed her away, eventually exiting the Dark Kingdom, making sure they wouldn’t be able to follow his trail.

Then, when Varian was far into the nearby woods, sure he was alone with just Ruddiger, he had finally gotten a chance to take in everything. He examined himself further, like brushing a hand through his now mythical hair, or twirling around to take in every detail of his armour. Strangely, the outfit made of stone was decently light, yet clearly just as strong as the black rocks, with a couple of spikes growing out of it. He even noticed he had a cape, that was currently fluttering softly in the cold wind. Though that was something else, noting that his body didn’t regard the chilly air as badly as he once had before, his skin now also incredibly pale, like glistening snow. 

He definitely felt stronger, feeling his new powers course through his veins, ready to act on his command. With this, he was sure he could free his father, no doubt now able to break the amber once and for all. So he began his trip to head back to Corona, Ruddiger still sticking to him, despite the nervous feeling inside the critter when gazing at his human’s new look.

However, it didn’t take Varian very long to realise two problems. The first being that he didn’t actually know how to control the black rocks. When he had been in the moment, running away from Rapunzel and her crew, it came naturally, reacting without thinking. But now, he didn’t know what he was doing, struggling to draw them out of the ground. He would often find himself pushing his body and mind, only to end up with lacking results. He already knew his emotions were tied to his power, that was for sure, but he never really had a good handle on those ever. 

The second problem was completely out of nowhere, and Varian wasn’t sure how to feel about it. One moment, he had been taking in his new style, the next he felt a strange presence looming over him, eyes gazing into his very mind. When he had turned, he came face to face with a creature of some kind, one massive in size, and inhuman looking. 

They were hovering off of the ground, their chest wide with spikes growing off of their back, spine curved a bit in a mild hunch. They had long arms dangling on the sides of them, their fingers floating shards. Their head was sharp and pointed in many areas, a spiked crown on the top of their head, with two other spikes going up and down on the side of their face, looking like large fangs. They had no mouth, but did have glowing haunting eyes, ones that spoke with so much judgement and age. They also had no legs, instead more floating shards. The entire being looked to be made out of the black rocks, and on the centre of their chest, Varian could see a little gem, one that looked exactly like the Moonstone.

Varian will admit he screamed when seeing them, jumping back in surprise. But he quickly found that they weren’t actually there, at least not in the physical sense. They were like a spirit of some kind, an astral form watching him. They merely stared at him, and Varian had felt a heavy wave of emotions radiating off of them, primarily anger. Next thing he knew, there were strange images flashed in his head, a cold feeling as if something was brushing against his mind. 

When he had the chance, he spoke up, which led into a strange and confusing scene of him arguing with this creature, and them not speaking, instead prying into his head and showing him more images. Ruddiger had watched in concern, as to him, he couldn’t see this creature, only Varian talking to nothing. 

After a long, drawn out conversation, kind of, Varian thinks he pieced together a few things. One, the Moonstone was alive and this was their real form, but they currently couldn’t turn into it, for whatever reason. Second, they couldn’t talk like a human, instead using mental connections, images, emotions, thoughts and memories to speak with. Third, they were not happy with him, and was angry he had stolen them from Rapunzel. And fourth, he was now stuck with a living creature that he had become the host of. This was going to be fun…

A part of Varian did feel upset with himself, realising he was using a living being as a tool for his own goals. The Moonstone had made it clear that they didn’t like him, and wanted to go back and be with the Sundrop, and so it felt wrong to keep them away for a little while longer. But the other half of Varian couldn’t give this up, not when he knows he has a way of saving his father. Besides, it’s not like this would be a permanent arrangement, as he didn’t want to stay like this forever. Plus, it seems the Moonstone couldn’t actually do anything to him, other than being a ghostly presence near him, glaring constantly, so he was safe to keep using them.

So Varian ignored their demands, choosing to focus on learning his new powers, and making his way back to Corona. It was going to be a long trip, and these two new problems were going to drag it on, but he was still determined to finish this quest of his. So, he did his best to not be unnerved by the Moonstone’s spirit, explained to Ruddiger what was happening, practice his powers and began his walk back home. 

However, after a few days, he was already finding himself becoming heavily frustrated, finding his powers to be stressful, not working in his favour whenever he tried. While he had a long ways ahead of him before reaching Corona, he wanted to make sure he knew what he was doing, to be prepared when freeing his father. He couldn’t let anything else go wrong, and he needed to learn how to defend himself, in case Rapunzel and her friends found him. 

So that’s where he found himself, standing in an open area in the middle of the woods at night, tiny pieces of the black rocks sticking out of the ground as he struggled to pull them up further. Varian was standing in the centre, holding his hands out in tense gestures, feeling the magic in him twirl around as he couldn’t get a decent grip on it. It felt like he was trying to pull a horse that refused to move. 

Ruddiger was nearby, sitting on a normal rock as he snacked on an apple, carefully watching Varian. He didn’t like how much his boy was pushing himself, using magic that shouldn’t be used by a human, much less a child. But Varian wouldn’t listen to the critter, set on conquering these abilities and using them to save Quirin. So, Ruddiger simply stayed close, waiting to rush in whenever Varian needed him. 

Varian held out a hand, curling his fingers as he tried creating more rocks. The Moonstone on his chest glowed, magic crackling around it as his hair flowed lightly, and the rocks briefly shot out of the ground. But Varian grit his teeth, the magic feeling too heavy as he had to stop, panting to himself as he rested his hands on his knees. Taking a deep breath, he straightened himself, rubbing his forehead as he felt a mild headache appearing. 

He glanced at the rocks around him, sighing as he quickly looked away, feeling disappointed in himself. It had been so easy before, so why was it suddenly like the world’s hardest puzzle? Varian did his best not to dwell on it, not wanting to waste more time. So he stretched his fingers, ready to try again.

But then he felt eyes on the back of his head, the gaze feeling cold and sharp. Varian bit his lip, closing his eyes as he already knew who it was. Lowering his hand, Varian peered over his shoulder, frowning to himself when seeing the spirit of the Moonstone watching him. They were starting to become like bad rash that never left, and he hating how they looked at him.

The Moonstone was hanging near the treeline, their glowing eyes seen in the dark as they observed Varian, clearly not impressed with what they were seeing. Varian pursed his lip, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. It's not like he could blame them for feeling this way, but could they not tone it down on the harsh looks? 

“I can feel you staring at me again.” Varian huffed at them, underneath feeling a little embarrassed. 

The Moonstone tilted their head, hovering forward a little so that they could be seen better. Ruddiger also looked up, staring in the direction Varian was talking, but he still saw nothing. The critter did believe his human, but he was worried that he couldn’t see the thing that Varian was talking to, in no way able to protect his boy if something happened between Varian and the Moonstone. 

When the Moonstone stopped, hovering on the spot, Varian turned around entirely, placing his hands on his hips as he looked them up and down. While he was scared of them, he was tired of being disrespected, so he was willing to stand his ground. Not like the Moonstone could physical harm him, but Varian wasn’t looking to push them further. 

Gesturing, Varian spoke again. “Do you always have a judgemental gaze or something?” He dryly teased, but his expression was of annoyance. 

The Moonstone’s glare thickened, and Varian could feel their emotions once more. They were annoyed too, their anger and frustration still clear as day. The feeling was strange, as if they were talking, and Varian understood the words, yet somehow couldn’t hear them. He was still getting used to this creature’s style of talking. 

Shaking his head, Varian glanced around. “Can you not, like...go watch some animals or look at the flowers?” He suggested, wanting to take the harsh gaze off of himself.

Giving him a look, the Moonstone gave a quick glance to the sides of them, before raising up their long arms and gesturing, almost making a circle. Varian blinked, confused for a moment as he glanced around, before understanding what they were trying to tell him. 

Sighing, Varian rubbed his forehead as he tapped his foot. “I suppose you can’t drift that far from me.”

He was still getting used to having this spiritual form of the Moonstone following him, as so couldn’t quite understand them at times, making his best guest often. He already understood that they couldn’t talk with words, and was still learning the idea that they can’t drift far from him, or more likely the gem on his chest. Still, it was all strange to go through, alien like even in the way the Moonstone functions, having never seen anything like this, not even in any stories he read. 

It made him briefly wonder if Adira knew about this side of the Moonstone, or maybe even his own father. They never mentioned anything like this, though they also never explained much to him anyway. Though Varian had thought back to when he saw Rapunzel talking to nothing, and she had the Sundrop, so perhaps she was going through something similar. 

But he decided not to think about it, as it wasn’t his concern. If it didn’t help in getting his father back, then he wasn’t going to waste time on it. So, turning away from the Moonstone, Varian moved to start working on his powers again. He gazed at the rock growths across the ground, taking a deep breath as he tried feeling the magic inside of him, pressuring himself to get this right.

Ruddiger watched quietly, curling his tail around himself as he looked between Varian, and the general area he thinks the Moonstone’s in. Ruddiger wishes he could speak to them himself, perhaps then things wouldn’t feel so awkward. For now, he could only rely on Varian, having faith he will make the right calls. Ruddiger didn’t think Varian would try and attack the Kingdom again, but that was still a worry in the back of his mind. And with Varian like this, Ruddiger might not be able to aid in stopping his boy this time around. 

The Moonstone also watched quietly, staying on the spot as they observed Varian. Much like the boy, they too were still trying to process what was happening, their current placement not to their likings. One moment they were about to be reunited with their Sundrop, the next they were snatched up by an emotional teenager who was clearly going through some issues. 

While they were angry with him, they were at least taking the time to take him in, to understand how his mind ticks, to see what moves he would make. They had already gone through his memories, and so knew his main goal, but were very weary of him. Varian had attacked Rapunzel and the Sundrop before, which is something the Moonstone doesn’t want happening on their watch.

And yet, despite the mask of anger and frustration the boy wears, the Moonstone could look right through him. They could feel the struggling emotions within the alchemist, the pain he was denying, the broken trust, the loneliness that has become the normal for him. It was pitiful to see, becoming more pathetic as the Moonstone watched him attempt, then fail with their powers. 

The Moonstone didn’t want to be here, stuck babysitting this human boy, who was going through something they didn’t want to be a part of. Their time at the Dark Kingdom hadn’t made their view of humans great, and Varian wasn’t helping that case. And while they were no longer stuck in that dreadful chamber, this wasn’t much of an upgrade, forced to be dragged around by the thief that stole them. 

As they watched, they felt their powers being commanded by Varian. He held out a hand, raising it up with curling fingers in another attempt to raise the black rocks. The magical stones began to glow lightly, their criss cross patterns being more noticeable when doing so. But they barely moved a few inches before the magic failed on Varian again, the pressure too much as he had to let go, letting out a tired groan, hints of frustration behind it.

Curling his hand into a fist, Varian yelled out. “This isn’t working!” He angrily seethed at the rock in front of him.

Shaking their head lightly, the Moonstone makes a strange sound, as if they were huffing out in exasperation. Varian frowned, taking an irritable deep breath. He had already been dealing with everyone else’s judgement of him, so he really didn’t need to add another person to that list. Especially not a magical rock alien that can apparently read his mind. 

“Don’t give me that look.” Varian lightly snapped, grumbling as he hunched himself, pulling an expression when looking over to the Moonstone. “You’re no help at all.”

Not letting them have the chance to respond to that, Varian quickly turned his attention back to the black rocks. He paused, looking down at his gloved hands, shuffling his fingers around. There was a spark of uncertainty in him, the fear that maybe he wasn’t enough, that he was doing something wrong. He was trying his hardest, but he feared the idea that maybe he couldn’t wield the Moonstone.

But he pushed those thoughts away, trying not to latch onto any doubt. This wasn’t the time to cry or self loathe, especially when his dad needed him. Pushing himself is how he got this far, and it would be the only way he could keep going. At least, that’s what he’s convinced himself. 

But as he was thinking to himself, he didn’t notice the odd look coming from the Moonstone, who could sense the brief inner turmoil the boy was just thinking about. They tilted their head lightly, gazing Varian up and down, noting how quick he was when trying to pressure himself again, clearly not caring for what might happen to him if he keeps stressing himself. The Moonstone wasn’t concerned, but they were wondering how a small child such as him had survived so far, especially since he appears to be alone with no supervision. 

Still not looking back at the Moonstone, Varian tried once more to draw out the black rocks. He tried pushing himself as hard as he could, a hand stretched out, fingers spread out in a tense fashion, causing his arm and hand to start shaking. Crackles of magic fluttered across his arm, almost like electricity, the gem on his chest glistening brightly. The Moonstone squinted when feeling this, sensing how Varian was failing to get a proper grip on these abilities. 

As they predicted, he only managed to grow the rocks a few more inches, before he had to cut himself off, the energy too much. He hissed in light pain, a throbbing headache beating at his head, causing him to brush a hand through his lustrous hair, doing his best to ease it. 

“Dammit…” Varian quietly groaned, panting lightly under his breath. 

Ruddiger perked up at this, sliding off of his rock and scuttering over to Varian. Automatically, he crawled up the boy, using the angles and shapes of the armour to pull himself up onto Varian’s shoulders, minding the spikes as best he could. Blinking lightly, Varian looked to his critter, who was chittering softly, nuzzling him with his cheek, doing his best to tell Varian to take a break.

Varian opened his mouth, ready to protest, but then his headache throbbed again, and he hanged his head lightly. He rested the back of his hand against his forehead, closing his eyes as he took deep breaths, trying to calm the magic within him. Behind him, the Moonstone still watched, but their glare was gone by now, a neutral gaze as they watched the boy and raccoon.

Varian shuffled around, side glancing at the Moonstone. He stared for a moment, before moving his sights to the black rocks, pursing his lips as he thought to himself. Gently, he brushed his fingers against the gem on his chest, the Moonstone’s core. 

Raising a brow, Varian turned fully to face the Moonstone’s spirit. “Why can’t you just help me?” He questioned them.

He was somewhat surprised he didn’t think of asking that sooner. Of course, the Moonstone would probably know how to control their own powers, and might be able to offer tips. Then again, Varian had been, and still was, trying to process this creature being alive and talking to him, and their negative or unsure views of each other originally put him off when it came to talking. 

But the Moonstone tilted their head at the question, giving a raised brow expression as it seemed obvious as to why they didn’t offer their help. The look made Varian bit his lip, realising that was dumb to ask, knowing the Moonstone wouldn’t want to help the human that stole them.

Though, before he could backtrack, the Moonstone started entering his mind again, this time flashing images into his head. He saw bits and pieces of the memory back in the Dark Kingdom, the moments before and after Varian snatched up the Moonstone. The look on Rapunzel’s face flickered across his mind a lot.

“Gah!” Varian gasped out, raising his hands to clutch his hair. The mental images didn’t hurt as bad as they had before, but they were still annoying to deal with, especially when the Moonstone did it out of nowhere. “Can you please stop doing that-...” Varian was about to shout, but cut himself off when looking back at the Moonstone.

They had pulled their head back, glaring at Varian when he had started to speak, staring at him as if he had yelled at the dinner table or something. Varian understood why they pulled such an expression though, taking a moment to take a deep breath, not needing to snap with his aggression. If he was going to be using the Moonstone, the least he could do was try to be somewhat civil. 

“Right, I guess that’s the equivalent of telling you to shut up.” Varian said, rubbing his eyes in a tired and annoyed manner.

He knew he needed their help, or else things might not work out well for him. But if he kept acting bratty, or being rude, then that would surely never happen. Besides, it's not like he didn’t understand why they hated him, he knew very well what he had done, so he couldn’t fault them there. 

But what was he supposed to say, supposed to do? What they wanted was something he couldn’t give to them, at least not right now. They clearly wanted to go back to Rapunzel, to reunite with the Sundrop, but if that happened, then Varian may never get his father back, and he couldn’t live with that. But with this way, if he borrowed them for a bit, then they could both get what they wanted. Yet the Moonstone didn’t seem to care, and Varian had already gotten the idea that they didn’t seem fond of humans. 

But Varian knew he had to say something, to at least try and reach a middle ground with them. It was only fair, and he did owe them something. He didn’t have the right to complain about them glaring at him, when they had every reason to. He was just so used to being judged for unfair reasons in the past, and this situation was complicated, something he never thought he’d be a part of. No wonder he hated magic.

Taking a moment to compose himself, Varian walked a bit closer to the Moonstone, who looked unsure, yet didn’t move, tilting their head down to stare at the short boy. Their massive size often made Varian nervous, a giant looming over him with a sharp gaze. But he kept reminding himself he was safe, that the Moonstone couldn’t touch him. Well, physically at least, he wasn’t sure what else they could do mentally, and he wasn’t ready to find out.

Taking a deep breath, Varian held up his hands, making light gestures as he spoke, like his hands were copying his words in a way. “Look, I get it, you don’t want to be with me, just as I don’t want to be with you.” He pointed at them, before pointing at himself. Then he held out his arms, doing his best to get his message across. “But this is how things will be, at least for now.”

The Moonstone gave a raising brow expression once more, noting how bold Varian was being in his statement. Credit due where it is, most would get scared of the Moonstone easily, even though they only saw a glowing stone. Yet here Varian was, talking directly at the astral form of the Moonstone, pushing through his fears to stand strong, his goal pushing him to keep talking. 

But those words didn’t convince the Moonstone that easily, giving a look saying that the boy had no chance of asking for their help, that they didn’t care what he wanted, only wanting to follow their own desires. Varian knew this, already knowing it would take a bit more to get their help, so he pressed on with speaking. 

“So maybe, if you help me, then we can both get what we want a little bit faster.” Varian urged them to listen, wanting them to understand the benefit of them working together. 

Quickly, the Moonstone shook their head, not wanting to hear what Varian had to say. They only cared about one thing, and that thing was something that Varian couldn’t provide them. In fact, he was the reason they couldn’t get to their goal right now. And they decided to let Varian know this, flashing a few images in his head. 

Varian grit his teeth a little, but was prepared for it this time, allowing himself to process the thoughts given to him. He saw images of Rapunzel, all from Varian’s own memories. The sight of the Princess made him feel off, a part of him numb even when seeing her, remembering how tired she makes him. He was still angry with her, but Varian was no longer full on with rage against Rapunzel, now just frustrated with her, wanting nothing more than to ignore her existence. 

Shaking his head, Varian turned away for a moment, making an x shaped gesture with his arms, expressing his disagreement. “No, I’m not going back to her.”

The Moonstone stopped with the images, frowning at Varian. They did know why he hated the Princess, and frankly the Moonstone didn’t care about Rapunzel herself, but she was the key to finally being back with their counterpart, the one they’ve been missing for years now. They’ve been suffering so long without them, so why did Varian have the right to make the Moonstone wait a little while longer? 

Before the Moonstone could try and share more memories, Varian raised a hand, knowing what they were about to express. “I know what you want, but I need your help to get what I want.” He gave them a look. “And I know I don’t have to explain that to you, because you’ve probably already read my memories.” He tapped his head lightly.

That did make the Moonstone pause, thinking back on the things they saw in Varian’s head. Back when their black rocks wandered into Corona, they hadn’t had a clear view of understanding what was happening down there. They could see bits and pieces, but the distant made it hard to make out much through the black rocks. They had sensed Varian messing with their magical creations, but now they fully understood what had happened.

The boy had trapped his own father by mistake, who also appeared to be the last of his family, leaving him on his own. To make matters worse, no one came to help Varian, something that even the Moonstone didn’t seem to understand. Those memories were full of shaky emotions, constantly switching as the teen had grown more and more desperate. Even though the Moonstone wasn’t fond of humans, they did understand that those days were not pleasant for Varian, and that they do feel sorry for him, that no one deserves to be left alone in such a way. After all, they understood what it was like to be isolated, trapped by people that hated you. 

Varian seemed to know what they were thinking about, even if they didn’t share their thoughts. “Then you know why I’m doing this.” He, for once, softly spoke, resting a hand on his chest, thinking he might be finally getting through to the Moonstone. 

Still, the Moonstone wasn’t convinced, seeing that all they were going to get in this deal was wasted time. While they understood Varian’s plight, it wasn’t enough for them to agree and help the human boy. They didn’t owe Varian anything, not after what he pulled back in the Dark Kingdom, not after he tried hurting their Sundrop. 

Gazing over them, Varian tried thinking over his next words. He could feel their light anger, how the Moonstone couldn’t simply get over what Varian did, and he couldn’t blame them for feeling like that. So he sighed, shaking his head lightly. “I get it, I don’t like this either.” He raised a hand, brushing his fingers lightly across the gem on his chest, feeling the magic inside of him. “But it was my only option.” He uttered out, glancing away.

The Moonstone looked down at their gem on his chest, staring at it deeply. They had to admit that they were kind of involved with what happened to Varian’s dad, as their black rocks had been storming through Old Corona. But the boy should have stayed out of it, listened to his father when he had the chance. After all, the Moonstone wasn’t the one to create the amber.

So they tried again, pressing their idea forward as they flashed more images of Rapunzel in his head. Varian’s eyes widened, shaking his head as he grit his teeth, anger suddenly boiling in him. The negative emotion did make the Moonstone take pause.

“No! I already said I wasn’t going back to her.” Varian yelled at them, putting his foot down. He knew he shouldn’t have shouted, but he was tired of seeing the Princess’s face in his head. All it did was bring back the painful memories he’s been trying to store away. “I can’t trust Rapunzel, not after what happened.” He argued, crossing his arms as he turned away.

Huffing out angrily, Varian was ready to walk away, not wanting to press on with trying to make this deal. But he stopped himself when his eyes landed on the black rocks peeking out of the ground, the moonlight reflecting off of them. The sight of them made him falter, his anger vanishing as sorrow took its place. 

Thoughts of the blizzard’s aftermath came to mind, remembering how he was nestled in his lab, curled up by the amber his dad was in, a thin blanket wrapped around him as he refused to move, even when Ruddiger begged him to. He had spent days waiting, still having faith that maybe Rapunzel would come, or someone else like Eugene or Cass. But they never did...

Eyes falling, Varian whispered out. “She’ll just abandon me again.”

That did catch the Moonstone’s attention again, lifting their head up as they gazed at him. They saw his memories too, sensing the deeper emotions in him starting to seep out, his voice shaking a little as he tried his best to stay calm. Ruddiger had noticed this too, his ears going flat as worry crossed his face.

Taking a sharp breath, Varian turned back around, standing boldly with his hands balled into fists by his sides. He was glaring, but not out of anger or frustration towards the Moonstone, instead a certain Princess in their lives. 

“You know, I tried to tell her.” Varian began, his hatred for Rapunzel seeping into his tone and words. “Tried to urge her to connect with the rocks, because I knew she had to, that she was tied to them.” He turned to face the Moonstone fully, gesturing out to the black rocks surrounding them. “If I had done nothing, then she would have ignored your destruction for as long as she could.” He pointed out, showing how much distrust he’s gained over the past year and a half. 

Quietly, the Moonstone glanced at their black rocks, thinking back to those days. Again, they had had a hazy view point, but Varian’s memories cleared up what had happened. Rapunzel’s father, the one who stole their Sundrop and allowed them to sense where they might be, had forbidden his daughter into going near the rocks originally, but her own fears of the unknown prevented her further. But the fight with Varian had ended that, Rapunzel touching the rocks finally. That did make the Moonstone wonder what might have happened if Varian never got involved. Humans were stubborn creatures after all, and fear could always push them away from what frightened them. 

Varian took a second to calm himself, the hurt from the past lingering again as he looked away, his voice quiet, full of hidden emotions that he refused to express properly. “But she didn’t listen, didn’t care.” His face fell, the pain over the betrayal chipping away at him. “Especially with me…”

Ruddiger whimpered, nuzzling his cheek, trying his best to comfort his boy. It was no secret that the abandonment messed Varian up, making him feel worthless, that no one cared about him. He lost his trust in the world those months alone, Rapunzel never coming to help, and the King sending guards after him. As much as Ruddiger hated what Varian was doing, he could never blame his boy for feeling this way.

And the Moonstone actually agreed with that too, understanding perfectly why Varian is acting out like this, why he didn’t want to go see the Princess. Despite them looking down on humans, they knew emotions were a powerful thing that should never be messed with, and trust could be easily shattered. After all, they were a being that spoke through their emotions, their own magic able to be guided by it. And right now, there was a lot to unpack with this human. 

Varian stared at the ground in silence for a few seconds, replaying memories in his heads, hugging his arms. “I get it.” He finally uttered out, pulling his gaze back up to the Moonstone. “You’re mad with me because I tried to attack the Sundrop, and then stole you away from them last second.” Varian sympathized, knowing he had to be honest with the Moonstone if this team up was ever going to work. “I’d probably hate me too if that happened to myself.” He admitted, glancing away again as he bit his cheek.

The Moonstone titled their head, for once giving a soft expression. They were at least glad that Varian was trying to talk to them as an equal, doing his best to communicate, despite being different species and power levels. Most humans that talked to or around the Moonstone were aggressive or scared, spouting out harsh things, many even talking about how they wanted to destroy them. And yet Varian wanted to make this work, even if it was mostly for his dad’s sake. 

Varian then unfolded his arms, forcing himself to look up at the Moonstone. “Look, I don’t want to fight Rapunzel, I never did.” He confessed, resting a hand on his chest as he tried to emphasize his point. “I only did so because I thought I had nothing left I could do.”

And he was being honest in what he was saying. He never initially wanted to hurt anyone, originally planning to just take the flower and solve the problem himself. But when he realised how Rapunzel was tied to it all, he knew he had to get more serious. In the end, he only really tried hurting everyone when he thought he had nothing left to lose, almost crushing Cass and Arianna at one point. 

But now he did feel guilty for that, knowing very well that he never wanted to kill anyone. If he had the chance again, he wouldn’t do it, instead he’d rather walk away from it all. He was tired with everything, no longer wanting to deal with Rapunzel and her attempts to talk. He didn’t matter to her back then, so why would she care now? Besides, she wanted the Moonstone back most likely, and would dump him off to the sides once that was all over.

“But that’s not what I want.” Varian shook his head, no longer able to hide how exhausted he was with everything. “Even now, I would rather avoid her than try and start a fight with her.”

Varian didn’t know why he was suddenly so expressive with how he truly felt, why he didn’t feel awkward saying these things. Before, he wouldn’t dare speak like this, to show weakness, to talk about how he feels. But now it felt easy for some reason, like he needed to let out some of the pressure before he broke down. Perhaps it was because the Moonstone couldn’t talk, and wasn’t someone there in the past, wasn’t someone who hated him for stupid or mishandled reasons. And maybe, just maybe, it was because the Moonstone understood parts of what he was going through.

Knowing what he needed to say next, Varian stared at the Moonstone, unflinching under their gaze. “I won’t hurt her or the Sundrop if you’re that worried.” He offered, wanting to settle that issue first. “It’s not my goal.”

A small part of the Moonstone relaxed at that, knowing the boy wasn’t lying. And Varian was happy to see that they were actually listening, letting him speak his offer, to express what he needed to say. Was a far cry better than what the others did in the past, having never let him have a chance to defend himself. It was a nice feeling. 

But then he lowered his eyes onto the gem on him, seeing it hum lightly with magic. Deep down he was guilty, knowing what he’s done was wrong. He had no right to steal the Moonstone, a living being, from someone they seemed to truly care for. The Sundrop meant something to them, and Varian was the one getting in the way. And yet he couldn’t give them up, not when those thoughts with the amber kept flickering in his head.

Varian bit his lip, letting out a nervous huff of air, before gazing at the Moonstone again. “But I can’t give you back, not right now.” He almost flinched when they began to glare at him, not happy with his words. “I need you, need your power. So please, just help me with this.” He softly begged.

The Moonstone stopped glaring, but their gaze was sharp, still giving a judgmental look when staring at Varian. They took in the boy’s words, knowing they most likely couldn’t change his mind. As scrawny and short as this child was, he was bold with his words, and was determined to stick to his goals. 

But the Moonstone still hesitated. It’s only been a few days since Varian’s become their host, and so their negative views have barely changed since meeting him. This conversation wasn’t going to change anything so suddenly, and the Moonstone wanted nothing more than to ditch him, to find their Sundrop, to be reunited and leave this planet. All they wanted was to finally find peace. 

“All I want is my dad back.” Varian added on, catching the Moonstone’s attention once more. He seemed to struggle with his words, his voice tight as if he was trying his best not to cry. “I just want to fix my mistake and free him. I can’t keep going on without him, especially after what happened.” Varian pulled his eyes up, staring up at the bright moon in the middle of the sky, the spirit bonded to him looking up as well. He was silent for a few seconds, before whispering out. “I need him…”

The Moonstone lowered their gaze back onto him, taking in his demeanor. Again, they completely understood where the child was coming from and what he wanted, it wasn’t that hard to piece together. But they still didn’t want to get involved, not when they knew that their Sundrop was so close. They had already spent their years wasting away in that castle, so why should they waste more time helping out a random human child? 

They were about to express this to Varian, wanting to show that his words haven’t changed their mind. But then Varian looked back at them, emotions glinting in his eyes as he tried to remain stoic, his lips pressed tightly together as he looked the Moonstone up and down, for once being the one with the judging gaze. 

“Out of anyone, you should understand what it’s like to do anything to reunite with a loved one.” Varian pointed out boldly, stepping closer as he had to tilt his head back further, expressing how much this meant to him, how much he needed them. “The will to do anything to be with them again.” He sharply spoke.

That did make the Moonstone pause, noting how Varian was using their similarities in the argument. And Varian wasn’t wrong, as both did miss a loved one dearly, going through great means to get them back, no matter who they hurt or pushed away. Both felt like they could only rely on themselves, outcasted by a world that saw them as nothing more than dangerous beings, even if they weren’t the ones to start the fights. 

As much as the Moonstone didn’t want to, they had to agree that the human boy was like them in many ways. Desperate for the love they’ve lost, people fearing or hating them, many wishing to stop them from reaching their goals. A cold world they both lived in, different from the rest. 

Seeing he might be getting somewhere, Varian offered one last thing. “Once I get my dad back, I will give you back to Rapunzel. To the Sundrop.” He emphasized this by resting a hand on his chest, brushing his fingers along the blue gem.

The Moonstone perked up a little at that, thinking about their beloved Sundrop. They briefly closed their eyes, thinking about their counterpart’s warm touch, and how close they came to feeling them once again. It’s been years since the Moonstone has felt their partner’s warm embrace, and it's all they’ve ever wished for since they were separated. 

“All I’m asking is for you to help my dad.” Varian added on, placing down his deal on the table for the Moonstone to think about.

The catch made the Moonstone pause again, unsure in agreeing. They didn’t trust Varian, this boy still a stranger to them, even if they have read his memories. He was weak, easily set off, young, inexperienced, and often drew danger to himself. And the years trapped in the Dark Kingdom have only created a negative view on humans for the Moonstone, remembering how they treated them like a monster, threatening to destroy them when they were the ones that refused to leave them alone. Plus, they had seen how easily power could corrupt a human, who's to say Varian would be any different. 

Varian seemed to understand that this is how they were feeling, so he gave one final plea. “Please…” He quietly begged, staring at them with pleading eyes. 

The Moonstone stared down at him, gazing into his eyes. But after a few seconds, they turned away, not agreeing to the terms. Varian felt his eyes widened, opening his mouth to say something. But he caught himself, shutting his mouth quickly, looking away as he gave a neutral expression, clearly trying to hide his emotions once again. He should have known it wouldn’t be that easy.

Seeing that the Moonstone didn’t want to talk further, Varian turned away, walking to the other side of the clearing as he sat on a normal rock, needing a moment to think to himself. Ruddiger, who seemed to understand that the deal didn’t go well, began comforting his boy, grooming and softly chittering to him. Varian reached over, brushing a hand through his little friend's fur, but his eyes were glued to the ground, his expression unchanging. 

Curious, the Moonstone looked back at him, yet still not moving from their spot. On the surface, Varian looked like he was trying to come up with a new plan, but the Moonstone knew better, already sneaking into the boy’s mind to read his thoughts and emotions. He was hurt, upset even, but strangely mostly at himself. It appears he thinks that he is the problem, knowing why the Moonstone hates him, unable to blame them for feeling this way with him. It was odd to see someone blame themselves, instead of the Moonstone for once. 

But then they moved onto his thoughts, his voice quiet in his own head. ‘Why do I even bother? No one wanted to help me…’ He croaked in his mind, eyes shifting to gaze at one of the black rocks, lost in thought. ‘Why would that change now?…’

The Moonstone knew that Varian wasn’t trying to make them pity him, as it was clear that they didn’t notice them creeping into his thoughts. Outside, in the real world, he sounded bold and stern, keeping his voice steady as best he could. But his inner voice was tired, lost and broken, the disappointment he felt towards himself clear as day. 

Pulling out of his thoughts, the Moonstone decided to think to themself a little more. Of course, all they wanted was to find their Sundrop again, but right now that wasn’t going to be easy. Varian had control over their powers, and their current condition meant they couldn’t fight against the boy. They were stuck like this, having to rely on Rapunzel and her group.

But if the Moonstone were entirely honest, they didn’t have much faith in Rapunzel and her friends. It was clear that they had taken their sweet time getting to the Dark Kingdom, their group often getting into side quests or pointless arguments. There was no doubt it would be the same, even if they were hunting down Varian. And their relationship with the boy would make things harder, very messy even, and Varian would keep running from them until he got what he wanted.

The Moonstone didn’t like wasting time, but it was wasting more time by disagreeing with Varian, offering no help in understanding their powers. If things kept up like this, then it would take months, maybe even a whole year, before Varian could reach Corona and free his father, especially on his own. But if the Moonstone did help, then things might go smoother, and it could get things over and done with a lot quicker. Then Varian gets his dad back, and they get their Sundrop back. 

Despite how they might feel about Varian currently, even they knew they shouldn’t be petty, and that they were wasting time like this. So with that in mind, the Moonstone began hovering over to Varian, stopping in front of him when he looked up with wide eyes, surprised with how close they got to him. 

Varian looked them up and down, confused and not sure what to say. For a moment, he feared he might have angered them further, which was the opposite route he wanted to take. But they didn’t appear mad, so maybe it was ok to ask what was up.

“What?” Varian questioned them, tilting his head.

The Moonstone merely raised a long arm, gesturing out to the black rocks. Varian blinked again, taking a moment to understand, before the realization hit him. The Moonstone was willing to teach him, to help him learn to control the black rocks. They had listened, and accepted the agreement. 

A strange feeling bubbled up in Varian, but he found that he actually liked this new feeling, and so gave a faint smile. “Thank you…”

.

.


End file.
